Local angle sharpens as Canadiens prepare visit
The Montreal Canadiens’ pre-season manoeuvring has become a local matter in Trois-Rivières after reports that goaltender Samuel Montembeault is no longer in the same training group as several of the club’s expected starters. For residents of Trois-Rivières, Bécancour and Sainte-Gertrude — the neighbourhoods that claim the NHL netminder as one of their own — the shift has been met with surprise and concern.
Montembeault, who represented Canada at international competition as recently as last season and was seen as a part of the Canadiens’ plans, is now working with goaltender Kaapo Kähkönen in what has been reported as the club’s Group B at training camp. Meanwhile, fellow goal options Jakub Dobes and Jacob Fowler appear in reported Group A. The reordering has fuelled speculation that Montembeault could be dealt before the regular season begins.
“The Canadiens themselves called Montembeault a true pride for his hometown.”
The timing of the rumours makes the situation particularly vivid for Trois-Rivières. The Canadiens are scheduled to play in the city at the Colisée Vidéotron on Monday in a match that has generated significant local excitement. Reports indicate that several of Montreal’s major stars are expected to be in town for the exhibition game — but, under the training group layout currently reported, Montembeault would not be in the same formation as those players and might not dress for the game.
Roots and reactions in the region
Montembeault is a local figure. In July 2024, roughly 500 people gathered in Sainte-Gertrude to pay tribute to the goaltender, unveiling a poster bearing his image at the entrance to the sector. The honour underscored his status in the area, and the Canadiens publicly praised him as a source of regional pride. In 2024, he also purchased a house in Trois-Rivières with his fiancée, Daryanne, signalling a commitment to the community beyond his on-ice duties.
That connection helps explain why the possibility of a trade would land hard locally. Fans, municipal officials and nearby residents often see successful athletes from the region as ambassadors — a relationship that becomes complicated when the player’s status with his NHL club becomes unstable. The prospect of Montreal’s star names arriving in Trois-Rivières while a hometown hero is sidelined or reportedly available to other clubs has added to the sense of consternation.
What the reported groupings mean
Media coverage of the Canadiens’ camp has placed players into provisional training groups. While such groupings are not official announcements of role or depth chart, they are frequently read as indicators of a club’s short-term intentions.
- Reported Group A: Jakub Dobes, Jacob Fowler
- Reported Group B: Samuel Montembeault, Kaapo Kähkönen; Zachary Bolduc and Phillip Danault were also reported in Group B
| Player | Reported group |
|---|---|
| Samuel Montembeault | Group B |
| Kaapo Kähkönen | Group B |
| Jakub Dobes | Group A |
| Jacob Fowler | Group A |
Observers have noted that group assignments can be adjusted and do not equate to a formal roster decision. Still, the reports have been enough for some commentators to suggest the Canadiens might be preparing the ground for a move. Sports journalist Frank Seravalli has even speculated that Montembeault could become the first NHL player traded this season — a claim that has drawn attention in Montreal and in the player’s home region alike.
Local consequences and what to watch
For Trois-Rivières, two immediate questions arise: who will be on the ice Monday at the Colisée Vidéotron, and how will the community respond if their native son is absent or traded? The game has been anticipated as a rallying point for local hockey fans, and the personal ties between Montembeault and the area have heightened interest.
In the short term, local supporters will be watching Canadiens’ practice reports, official roster releases for the exhibition game and any transaction notices from Montreal. Over the longer term, the situation touches on the broader relationship between NHL franchises and the communities that celebrate their players: when a hometown favourite’s status changes, it reverberates far beyond the Hockey Club’s dressing room.
As events unfold this week, Trois-Rivières residents will be following both the game at the Colisée Vidéotron and the arc of Montembeault’s status with close attention. Whether he plays, stays or is moved, the outcome will matter here in a way it might not in markets without such personal ties to the player.
